Ancient Antarctic Palm Trees Hold Insight into the Future

Scientists made an unexpected discovery while drilling into sediment off the coast of Antarctica, one that could hold insight into Earth’s future, the scientists say. CBS’s “This Morning” explains.

“Palm trees, yes palm trees could grow in the Antarctic if the world keeps getting warmer but it wouldn’t be the first time. Scientists say they found evidence of tropical plants growing there 55 million years ago.”

Yup, that’s right, according to the study published in the journal Nature, during the Eocene period, Antarctica was home to a near-tropical rainforest with temperatures that reached 70 degrees, even during winter. (Slate)

The study marks the first time scientists have been able to analyze Antarctic sediment. Because most of it is almost impossible to reach, the team had to drill through 1 kilometer of sediment to return samples from the Eocene. The Huffington Post describes what the scientists found.

“...sediment cores were studded with pollen from two different environments much warmer than present-day Antarctica. There was evidence of palms, ferns and other trees typical of warm, lowland rainforests like that of Madagascar.”

The scientists say the finding is significant because during Eocene era the atmosphere’s CO2 levels were naturally at their highest, twice as high as today. But Dr James Bendle tells BBC’s 5 Live we’re heading back in time.

“If we have CO2 emissions that continue unabated for say 100 years FLASH we may reach Eocene levels and that carries a pretty sobering message if you think the Antarctic at that time had palms trees and now it's covered in ice.”

Unimpressed, The Guardian’s Dean Burnett says the findings are nothing to be surprised about.

“...palm trees may have been present in Antarctica 55 million years ago, but that's like saying they're present in Australia now. .... it wasn't the freezing wilderness we know today. Will they appear there again? Only if there is substantial climate and geological change, and that's unlikely to happen in our lifetimes.”